Major League Soccer announced today that Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez and defender Miles Robinson were selected to the 2019 MLS Best XI as determined by media, MLS players and club technical staff. Martinez is the only player who has been selected in each of the past three seasons since he entered the league in 2017, while Robinson made the Best XI for the first time in his career.
Martinez scored 27 goals, including seven game-winning goals, and recorded four assists in 29 games during the regular season. He added another goal in Atlanta’s 2-0 win against Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to bring his career postseason total to five goals in eight matches. The Venezuelan striker scored 21 goals during his MLS-record 15-game scoring streak this season, which ended as the fifth-longest recorded streak in world soccer history, and is a finalist for league MVP.
Robinson, 22, led all Atlanta field players in starts (33), games played (34) and minutes (2978, club record) and helped lead the team to an MLS-best 14 clean sheets in 2019. Robinson was a Defender of the Year finalist and finished tied for fifth in MLS with 58 interceptions. He earned his first ever calls to the U.S. Men’s National Team during the September and October FIFA windows.
2019 MLS Best XI
Goalkeeper: Vito Mannone (Minnesota United FC)
Defenders: Ike Opara (Minnesota United FC), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), Walker Zimmerman (Los Angeles Football Club)
Midfielders: Eduard Atuesta (Los Angeles Football Club), Carles Gil (New England Revolution), Maxi Moralez (New York City FC), Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC)
Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy), Josef Martinez (Atlanta United), Carlos Vela (Los Angeles Football Club)
Seven of the players named to the Best XI are first-time selections, with Opara, Ibrahimović, and Vela making their second appearances, and Martinez making his third appearance.
Atlanta United hosts Toronto FC on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Eastern Conference Final of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs (8 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN, TVAS).
